Stree Shakti – The Parallel Force aims at pulling together individual and collective knowledge engaged in women welfare. It is a movement to rouse and activate women of every age, class and creed to empower them so that they work as catalysts for fundamental social change. The Forum provides a platform for joint action through research, networking and advocacy since 1998.
Stree Shakti has urged free public transportation for women of the country . It stated many states like Haryana , Delhi and Tamil Nadu have taken much steps towards ensuring hassle free public transport for women.
Stree Shakti affirms that Background of
Female mobility has always been a matter of concern for socio-cultural –economic development for both rural and urban women. Research indicates that in lower strata of society one women annually spend around Rs 2500 on clothes , 1500 on medicines , 1500 on hygiene and Rs 2000 on unforeseen expense. Total Rs annually Rs 7500 on her personal expense. Where as on the bus travel alone her minimum annual expense is Rs 8000 alone.
In case of elderly women things get worse as their income dwindles and medical expense goes up they often face isolation resulting in serious health issues both physical and mental. Our research of one year conducted in different part of India pointed out that elderly women due to reasons like financial insecurity & instability confine themselves to the household only. 59% of the elderly women are widowed. Many of them have no bank accounts and levels of income are also very low. Many elderly women face desertion and live alone. Then living alone is remarkably higher among elderly women (9.6%) as compared to men (2%).
Rekha Mody, Stree Shakti founder and Chairman believes that the
Free Travel Pass has many benefits. She terms it a silent Revolution .
A free travel pass on public buses to the women will encourage them to travel and link up with the world. The Free pass introduced by three prominent states of India , Delhi, Punjab and Tamilnadu have exciting findings. Different states have taken a different route to fund it.
Rekha Mody while exemplifying the scenario observed that :
For every free journey undertaken by a woman commuter, the Delhi government will extend a flat subsidy of Rs 10 to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the DIMTS (Delhi Multi-Modal Transit Ltd) under which the city’s public bus fleet operates.
Stree Shakti has urged all the stakeholders and walks of life to make public transport free and comfortable for entire women of India.
